Upgrading, some advice needed.

[Source]

Lo,
Am looking into a new GPU and CPU for a while but need some advice etc.
Am planning to keep it a few years, so the most future proof as possible :rolleyes:.
- Gaming, Audio Editing, using 2 Monitors on 1280x as reso.
That's pretty much it.

Budget around €550,- / €600,-
Ain't going CrossFire/SLI and not buying a X2 card..

For CPU i'm looking at;
Intel C2D E8400 €160,-
Intel C2Q Q9300 €210,-
Intel C2Q Q9450 €260,-

Do i need a Quad Core or is a Dual Core enough for gaming? (Any news about games using QC's in the near future?)
If it is recommended to get a Quad Core for the future..
Where do i use the double L2 Cache on the Q9450 for? Is that only noticeable for video editing etc?

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For GPU i'm looking at;
nVidia 8800GTS-512 €200,-
nVidia 8800GTX €250,-
nVidia 9800GTX €250,-
nVidia 9900GT (or what the name will be) €??

Heard the 9800GTX is the same as the 8800GTS-512, but had 3Way SLI support?
Do i need the 'new' OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 10.1 in the future?
And what about the 8800GTS-512 vs 8800GTX?
Any news about the 9900GT?

Thanks!
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Other specs;
Silverstone DA650
MSI P35 Platinum
2GB PC6400

Swiftech Apogee GT
Swiftech MCW60 +G80 kit +SMC8800 memory blocks
Thermochill PA120.3
Laing 18W DDC-3.2 w/ Petra'sTech DDCT-01s Top

[hillywav]

wait till july to buy e8400 + 9900....

i think yur budget will fit :D

[inCore]

Yeah, or you can get a Q6600 for future-proofness (that's so not a word). It dropped in price by a lot already and if you take most benchmarks, such as Crysis, you'll see that CPU has awefully little to do with the frames that you get.

But I agree, wait till July. Don't buy the 9800GTX, it's an 8800 GTS 512 with a nine at the front and the S replaced by an X. You can overclock the GTS quite highly anyways. Don't get the Q9300 either, has a horribly low multiplier and you can't clock it as high as you might want.

[Source]

Thanks for the replays!
I'll wait for June/July then for the 9900GT (or w/e).

So it's now down to:

Intel C2D E8400 €160,-
Intel C2Q Q6600 G0 €180,-
Intel C2Q Q9450 €260,-

× Where do i use the bigger 12MB L2 Cache on the Q9450 for? Is that only noticeable for video editing etc?
× What is the advantage of 1333MHz over 1066MHz? My motherboard does support 1333MHz.

nVidia 8800GTS-512 €200,-
nVidia 8800GTX G80 €250,-
nVidia 9900GT (or what the name will be) €??

× Do i need the 'new' OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 10.1 now or in the future?
× And what about the 8800GTS-512 vs 8800GTX G80?

[zanzabar]

the new cash on the intel cpus is noticeable with gaming and benching


and dx10.1 is awesome (assassins creed and ball demo or the only 2 apps), but it looks like 10.1 wont be adopted until nv gets it and that wont be until nov/dec, and the 4870 is out in like 3 weeks so i would wait to see it, its the only new architecture all summer

[Source]

Hmm, I'll think i go for the E8400.
The difference with the Q9450 is €115,- now the prices became higher (E8400 = €165 | Q9450 = €280).

That together with the 99xx Single Core GPU.
€165 and around €350 max for the Grapighs card.

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I can get another pair of 2GB sticks of the same memory for around €40,-
Take it or will it alter performance in a bad way?

Heard something that 4x1GB isn't good for overclocking?
If that's true i'll go for 2x2GB later on.

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What is btw the best Memory cooler?
Is that still the Thermalright HR-07?

[zanzabar]

4x1GB is good for ocing if they are gmh or gkx and u have duel phase vdimm on your board

[Source]

What is 'gmh' and 'gkx' and how do i see if i got Phase vdimm on my board?

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What is btw the best Memory cooler?
Is that still the Thermalright HR-07?

[zanzabar]

What is 'gmh' and 'gkx' and how do i see if i got Phase vdimm on my board?

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What is btw the best Memory cooler?
Is that still the Thermalright HR-07?

your board is single phase, and gmh and gkx take lots of hunting for/custom orders and its a pain to get, just go for gskill or corsair 1000mhz+ 2x2GB

and those will have powerchips and wont need cooling they run cool to the touch and only use 2.1V

[Source]

What is Single phase and Dual Phase then?
In other words, what difference will i see when i have Single and when i was having Dual Phase Vdimm?

I bought another 2x1GB anyway since there was a sale on it (Corsair Twin2x2048-C4) for €35,-

Also bought;
Thermalright HR-07DUO Low
Thermalright HR-07DUO High